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Compaq CQ4010F Black Desktop PC Review

Thursday, December 10th, 2009 | Barebones Computer Reviews, Desktop Computer Reviews | Comments

Firstly, this computer does not come with keyboard, monitor or mouse. It only comes with the system. Even so, for a tad under $400 it’s a pretty good offer.

As a primary home computer this Compaq can pack a bit of punch, with enough memory and processor speed to run anything but the most graphics intensive programs it can take most of what is thrown at it. Throw in the good looks and styling of the case and you’re looking at a pretty decent machine. Here’s a quick rundown of the main features.

• 2.3GHz AMD Sempron LE1300 processor
• 2GB memory
• 250GB hard drive
• DVD burner with Lightscribe
• NVIDIA GeForce 6150SE integrated graphics processor

The heart of the system is an AMD Sempron processor, which is branded as the cheaper end of the AMD lineup. The Athlon has traditionally been ahead of the Sempron in the pecking order. But AMD tend to throw quite a lot of good technology into their lower end products and this single-core processor can perform far better than its price tag suggests. Just the CPU on its own costs around $40 but performs well enough to surf the Internet, burn CDs and create some spreadsheets and documents.

2GB of memory is enough for even the heaviest of daily use. The memory or RAM is where programs are stored while they are running; it is much faster than the hard drive and means that programs can work quicker and store more information while they are running. The web browser Firefox for example can use up to 180MB of memory with only one of two tabs open, but as soon as you get to 15-20 tabs then all of those extra sites are now stored in memory and can shoot the memory usage of Firefox to over 300MB. Combine this with instant messengers and other programs and you get a lot of memory being used. But 2GB can comfortably handle all of those.

250GB hard drive is enough for around 40 DVD movies and should be plenty, especially if you store all your movies and photos online.

The Nvidia GeForce 6150SE is not a high performer for graphics. Although occasionally sold on “gaming computers” it really only does the basics. Modern games can be played if you turn off all the fancy shading and textures and other such stuff, but for getting the intended effect you’ll need a dedicated graphics card. Luckily it has a PCIe x16 graphics card slot for just this purpose, pity that it will probably be the processor slowing the graphics down for there onwards.

There is the standard slew of other extras including USB slots, audio input and outputs, Gigabit Ethernet and the pretty good looks of the case.

Tags: barebones, cheap desktop computer, compaq, desktop computer, sempron

Emachines EL1300G-01w Desktop PC Review

Wednesday, December 9th, 2009 | Barebones Computer Reviews, Desktop Computer Reviews | Comments

So here’s a real cheap desktop computer. Aimed at doing just the basics and not including a monitor this system has everything a desktop computer needs and is perfect for a second, general-use system.

This system has an older AMD processor and has a fair spread of other parts. Here is a list of the features:

• 1.6GHz AMD Athlon 64 2650e processor
• 2GB of memory
• 160GB hard drive
• Dual-layer DVD writer
• Vista Home Basic

No illusions of grandeur here, this system only does the basics well. But that’s not all bad. This is a computer for $200.

The CPU processor is decent and can tackle most general tasks. Surfing the Internet and punching out some documents on a word processor will be fine. Using instant messaging will also not take a heavy toll on the system. The amount of memory is more important than all of these in this situation.

The 2GB of memory is enough for all tasks. A web browser with a whole lot of tabs open, streaming online radio, chat program and word processor all open at the same time will work well enough. It will not be enough for gaming or graphics-heavy programs that will need the power of a graphics card or faster processor to perform their tasks.

The small form factor is perfect for tucking away under a desk and out of the way. This case is a far cry from the super-ugly cheap boxes that typically come with cheap desktop computers. The drives and other bits are hidden behind the cover.

The 160GB hard drive is enough for storing photos and movies. The slower speed of this computer lends itself to be an Internet enabled device. Using it along with a dedicated Internet connection and online storage will provide allow files to be shared on any computer with ‘Net access.

Speaking of Internet access, the Gigabit LAN is a bit of a surprise. Gigabit LAN offers fast speeds on local networks that are equipped for it. However, the speed of Internet access it invariable slower than that.

For the price, this system really does offer a great package. A 19 inch monitor for around a $100 would give a full system for $300.

Pros:

• Cheap, cheap, cheap
• Gigabit Ethernet
• 2GB memory

Cons:

• No fancy graphics capabilities
• No Wifi

Tags: barebones, cheap desktop computer, desktop computer, Desktop Computer Reviews

HP Pavilion P6120F Desktop PC

Monday, December 7th, 2009 | Barebones Computer Reviews, Desktop Computer Reviews | Comments

Desktop computers offer more power for the money than almost any laptop or notebook computer. The HP Pavilion P6120F is not exception. Although the popularity of desktop computers is dropping against stylish little netbooks and well-priced portable computer they remain the staple of business and enthusiasts for good reason.

Although not the sexiest, for any computer that does not need to be moved around, desktop computers are the best option. This HP Pavilion, Windows-based desktop computer can be matched with a large screen monitor for a powerful desktop computer under $1000.

Here’s a quick rundown of the specifications:

• 2.80GHz Intel Pentium E6300 processor
• 8GB of memory
• 1TB (1000GB) hard drive
• 1 x PCIex16 slot
• 5.1 channel audio
• LAN
• Wifi
• DVD burner

The HP delivers a feature-rich package with a CPU known for its overclocking abilities. The E6300 is a an entry-level processor which is based on the same technology as its older brothers. Because of this, the processor can safely be overclocked, meaning have its speed increased, by 25% without any additional fancy technology or hardware trickery. This makes it quite worth it for a little bit of time spent increasing the front side bus speed from 266MHz to 333MHz.

The system also comes with 8GB of memory. That is pretty huge. Seeing as the computer is intended for home use, that amount of memory is more than anything you can possibly throw at it.

The mix of networking options if pretty standard, except that it also includes Wifi connectivity. Although Wifi has been standard fair on laptop computers for a very long time now, their absence on desktop computers usually means that the desktop has to be within cable distance from the home router. Well, with that limitation removed, this computer can be placed a room or two away from where the router sits. The router can be placed in a central location in the home and the computers placed where needed. 300MB/s wireless is supported.

A DVD burner is included as standard, as it is on almost any modern computer. It supports Lightscribe so the cover side of supported DVDs can have a picture burned onto it by the DVD player.

Storage needs are met with a large terabyte hard drive. A terabyte is 1000GB, which is about the size of 150 DVD movies. Plenty of space for almost anything and the speed should do fine for most applications.

Graphics is supported through onboard graphics. This is limiting in that most new games cannot be played, but a good graphics card can cost as much as this whole computer, so this limitation is expected. The processor is not fast enough for modern games though, so adding a super-fast PCIe x16 video card will not turn this into a superb gaming machine, although it will handle the needs of the non-fanatic.

Pros:

• Overclockable dual-core processor
• Plenty of memory
• Big hard drive

Cons:

• Not suitable for heavy gaming
• Similar price to a good netbook

Overall, the system provides a very solid experience, but for the price I might be tempted to go for a cheap laptop computer. If you need a powerful and fast home computer then this is a good bet.

Tags: barebones, Desktop Computer Reviews, gaming, overclock, value